Car-coupling



(No Model.)

P. DE FORD.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 485,736. Patented Nov. 8, 1892.

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FRANKLIN DE FORD, OF STUART, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO L. H; DE YFORD, OFVALLEY JUNCTION, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,736, dated November8, 1892.

Application ledMarch 11.1892. Serial No. 424,488. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN DE FORD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Stuart, in the county of Guthrie and State of Iowa,have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention consists, primarily, in pivoting a draw-head beneath theend of a car in such a manner that it may be swung vertically asrequired to uncouple, and connected with springs in such a manner `thatit will serve as a buer both when in a horizontal and a verticalposition, in the construction of the means provided for swinging thedrawhead in a vertical position, and in certain other features ofconstruction and combination of the complete device, as hereinafter setforth, pointed outin my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure I shows the draw-head in perspective. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the bolt which supports the draw-head, showingthe angular formation on its central portion. Fig.

3 is a plan view of the complete coupling with parts of the draw-headbroken away, showing the bolt in the slot. Fig. 4 is a longitudinalsectional view through the line a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the coupling device attached to a car as required in practicaluse. ,The dotted lines therein illustrate the draw-head in averticalposition. Fig. 6 shows the draw-head in a perpendicularpositi onand a common link connected therewith by means of a pin.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-letter Adesignates the drawhead.

A2 is an elongated transverse slot slightly in the rear of the gravitycenterof the draw-head.

A3 represents a vertical jaw formed on the forward end of the draw-head.

A4 represents a cavity in the forward side portion of the draw-head,provided with a vertical intersecting bore A5 to provide means whereby acar havingalink-and-pin coupling may be connected therewith, and B is anupwardly-extending hook on the rear end of Through the forward end ofthese slots the A bolt C is extended, and in the rear ends thereof thebolt F is placed, they both being capable of movement in the plane ofthe car.

H H represent a coil-spring in the slots D2 between the bolts C and Fand in engagement with them. This bolt F is placed in such a positionrelative to the bolt C as to be engaged by the hook B when the draw-headis in a vertical postion, so that the draft will be equally dividedbetween the said bolts.

To provide means whereby the draw-head may normally be held toward theside of the car to which the jaw extends and yet yield laterallysuiiiciently to engage a like coupler, I attach the leaf-springs J .Itoone of the beams D and extend them forwardly and inwardly to engage theside of the draw-head. To relieve the pressure of the rearend of thedrawhead against the opposed side of the beams D, I interpose thecoilspring K.

Lrepresents a crank-shaft extended through the end of the bolt C andoutwardly to the side of the car to provide means forswinging thedraw-head.

L2 is an angular formation on the under side of the crank-shaft injuxtaposition to the side of the car, the function of which willhereinafter appear. I also provide means for locking the draw-head inahorizontal position, as follows: M represents aclip secured to the endof a car near the side thereof. Its central forward portion is convex inshape and its lower portion angular. Through this clip the crankshaft Lis extended, and when it is desired to operate the draw-head I elevatethe crankshaft to the aforesaid convex portion of the clip, which islarge enough to allow the part L2 to rotate therein, and when it isdesired to secure it in a horizontal position I place the part L2 in theangular portion of the clip M. When shifting cars, the draw-head ispreferably swung in a vertical position and its front face used as abuffer and asa means of coupling with a common link, as shown in Fig. 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. `A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having means-at its forward endfor coupling a car thereto, pivoted in its approximate center to a caras required to unoouple by swinging vertically, and adapted to serve asa buffer both when in a horizontal and vertical position, to operatesubstantially as set forth.

2. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a vertical jaw attheforward end, pivoted in its approximate center to a car as requiredto uncouple by swinging vertically, and adapted to serve as a bufferboth when in a horizontal and vertical position, to operatesubstantially as set forth.

3. A car-coupler comprising a draw-head having a vertical jaw at itsforward end, pivoted slightly in the rear of its gravity center to a caras required to uneouple by swinging vertically andV to normally remainin a horizontal position, and adapted to serve as a buffer both when ina horizontal and vertical position, and means for operating thedraw-head -from the side of a car, to operate substantially as setforth.

4. A car-coupling comprising a draw-head having a vertical jaw and alink-and-pin cavity at its forward end, an elongated transverse slot inthe rear of its gravity center and a hook formed on its rear end, twoparallel beams secured to the under side of a car, elongated transverseslots formed in the approximate forward ends thereof, a bolt having aattened surface in its approximate central portion through the' saidslots in the beams and the slotsin the draw-head, a bolt extendedthrough the slots in the beamsin the rear of the aforesaid bolt,yielding pressuredevices interposed between the said bolts, yieldingpressure devices impinging the side of Iche draw-head opposite to thejaw thereof, and means for operating the draw-head from the side of acar, substantially as shown and described, to operate in the manner setforth.

FRANKLIN-DE FORD. Witnesses:

H. B. KIRKENDALL, J. H. KERSEY.

